This invention relates generally to support pillows, and more particularly to pillows configured to support an infant, such as during nursing.
Some pillows are provided with a nominal shape suitable for their intended function. Many nursing pillows, for example, are horseshoe-shaped as shown in FIG. 1, defining a central well or aperture for placing the pillow about the abdomen of a mother. The pillow supports the weight of a nursing infant lying on a central or medial portion of the pillow, with arms of the pillow extending about the mother for comfort, support and pillow retention.
Improvements in the function and comfort of pillows, such as nursing pillows, are desired.
According to one aspect of the invention, a pillow has a medial region and first and second cantilever arms extending from opposite ends of the medial region to define a central opening between the arms in an unloaded, nominal shape. The pillow includes a resilient body with an outer covering extending about the medial region and arms, the body being sufficiently flexible to allow the arms to be manually moved to adjust the pillow shape. The pillow also has a flexible spine extending across the medial region and into both arms. The spine is of sufficient stiffness to keep the pillow from returning from an adjusted shape to its nominal shape when unloaded.
Preferably the spine is enclosed within the body, although the spine can be fashioned to run along an outer edge of the medial region and arms, or be otherwise secured to the body.
In some embodiments, distal ends of the arms extend toward one another with the pillow in its nominal shape, such that a distance between the distal ends of the arms is less than a distance between the arms in a plane midway between the distal ends and the medial portion of the pillow. In some cases, the arms are repositionable to a stable position in which the distal ends of the arms extend away from each other, such that the arms are furthest apart at their distal ends. Furthermore, in some cases, the arms are repositionable to a stable position in which the arms are farther apart than in the nominal shape of the pillow, with the distal ends of the arms extending toward one another.
In some configurations, the arms generally lie in a common plane with the pillow in its nominal shape.
Preferably, the medial portion has a thickness, measured perpendicular to the common plane, of at least four inches, with the arms tapering in thickness from the medial portion to distal ends of the arms.
It is also preferable that the central opening be generally oval with the pillow in its nominal shape, for nursing applications, with the oval opening having a major axis extending from one arm of the pillow to the other arm.
In some constructions, the central opening has a maximum width, as measured between the arms, of about eleven inches, with the pillow in its nominal shape.
The maximum width of the opening as measured in the common plane, with the arms of the pillow repositioned to their closest stable position within the common plane, is preferably greater than about eight inches.
Various embodiments provide various adjustment modes. For example, in some cases, the arms are repositionable to a stable position with the arms extending out of the common plane. In some cases, the medial portion is repositionable to form a stable arch extending out of the common plane, as another example.
In many cases, the spine includes an articulated series of links, each link pivotably secured to at least one adjacent link to form a chain. In some instances, one link defines a socket sized to receive and retain a ball of a connecting link. The socket may be defined within a skirt of the one link, with the skirt having an inner rib positioned to engage a distal edge of the connecting link to limit angulation between the links, for example. Preferably, inter-link angulation is limited to an angle of less than about 30 degrees, as measured between central axes of adjacent links. It is also generally preferable that the series of links have a combined maximum angulation, as measured between central axes of end links of the series, of at least about 270 degrees.
In some embodiments, the spine includes a non-articulated, elongated central portion extending along the medial portion of the pillow, a first series of articulated links extending from one end of the central portion of the spine into one of the arms, and a second series of articulated links extending from the other end of the central portion of the spine into the other of the arms.
In some other embodiments, links of a central portion of the spine extending along the medial portion of the pillow are configured to have a maximum angulation between adjacent links that is less than a maximum angulation between adjacent links of an end portion of the spine disposed within one of the arms of the pillow.
In some cases, a central portion of the spine includes a first series of articulated links extending along the medial portion of the pillow, and ends of the spine each include an additional series of articulated links extending from one end of the central portion of the spine into one of the arms, with links in the arms articulable to form a greater curvature than those of the central portion. In such cases, it is preferable that links of the central portion of the spine be longer, as measured between adjacent link joint centers of rotation, than links in the arms of the pillow.
Preferably, the pillow is sized to fit securely about an abdomen of a nursing mother.
It is also preferable that the outer covering be of a washable fabric. In some cases, the pillow includes a removable outer cover extending about the covering.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of nursing a child is provided. The method includes placing the above-described nursing pillow about an abdomen of an adult, adjusting the pillow to a desired, stable shape other than the nominal shape, placing an infant upon the medial portion of the pillow, and nursing the infant with the infant supported on the pillow.
In some embodiments, adjusting the pillow includes repositioning the arms of the pillow, such as to adjust the pillow for a desired fit about the abdomen of the adult. In some cases in which the arms generally lie in a common plane with the pillow in its nominal shape, repositioning the arms includes moving the arms out of their common plane.
In some cases in which the arms and medial portion of the pillow generally lie in a common plane with the pillow in its nominal shape, adjusting the pillow includes arching the medial portion out of the common plane.
In some cases in which the arms and medial portion of the pillow generally lie in a common plane with the pillow in its nominal shape, adjusting the pillow includes moving the arms within the common plane to alter the central opening.
Various aspects of the invention can provide increased flexibility and function with a nursing pillow, by giving the user a choice of shapes and adjustment. Various shape modifications can be perceived as benefiting the nursing process, either by making the mother or the infant more comfortable, or reducing apprehension that the infant may roll from the pillow during nursing. Adjustments may be performed to place the pillow in a stable shape suitable to fit comfortably about the mother""s abdomen, for example.
Pillows constructed as disclosed herein are useful for purposes other than nursing infants. For example, such pillows may be useful for supporting infants or young children, or even older children or adults, in a sitting position between the pillow arms or reclining on the medial portion of the pillow. Although the shape of the illustrated embodiments is generally toroidal with distal ends of the arms slightly separated, other arm configurations or shapes are useful, particularly for non-nursing applications.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.